One-on-one writing advising
We know how rewarding and challenging it can feel to write a dissertation or master’s thesis.
We won’t edit your work, but we can give you tools and strategies to revise your own work, keep you motivated and regroup when things do not go as planned.
What we offer:
- Individualized consultation on your work
- Guidance on developing a workplan that reflects your timeline
- Strategies for incorporating feedback
- Strategies for revision
- Tools to enhance motivation
Writing advisors work collaboratively with graduate master’s and doctoral theses and dissertations, manuscripts for publication, papers for coursework and more.
Book appointments on OSCARplus > Student Success Centre > Appointments > Academic Skills. Or email our graduate writing specialist at writing@mcmaster.ca.
25-minute appointments
- Ideal for specific questions
- Help with documentation, academic style
50-minute appointments
- Suitable for more complex questions
- Consultation on larger projects like doctoral dissertations and major research papers
Programs and workshops
Research shows that being a part of a learning community — a group of people working and studying together — is especially beneficial for writers. Working with other writers can improve your writing skills, increase your productivity and build your confidence. Discover our programs and workshops to get involved and hone your writing and communication skills.
Join our Graduate Writing Community Teams group to get the latest updates on our programs and meet other graduate students at McMaster.
How much could you get done with multiple full days of structured writing time? Apply to a Graduate Writing Intensive and find out!
Designed to help you make substantial progress in a concentrated period of time, the Graduate Writing Intensive features structured writing time, writing advisors available to meet with students, and optional discussion sessions.
This program may be a great fit if you:
- Have completed a substantial amount of your research and need to get a lot of writing done
- Are searching for a boost to your morale or motivation
- Would benefit from mutual accountability amongst fellow grad students
- Are excited at the prospect of making meaningful progress in a short period of time
This program might not be a good fit if you:
- can’t clear your calendar for multiple full days
- Don’t have a substantial writing task on which to focus
- Have an established writing process that already works well for you
- Are satisfied with your progress toward completion
Doctoral students who intend to graduate in the current academic year will be given preference, but any grad student who would benefit from dedicated writing time should apply!
Graduate Writing Circles are designed to keep graduate students on track to meet their writing goals. Facilitated by a trained writing advisor, these weekly groups provide participants with the tools to support goal-setting, meeting deadlines and making the writing process as productive and efficient as possible.
During a typical session, students will share successes and challenges in meeting specific writing goals. Students will celebrate wins and troubleshoot obstacles. Some groups will have co-working time built into the sessions.
Join our Graduate Writing Community Teams group or email writing@mcmaster.ca to find out when the next Writing Circles are scheduled to take place.
Graduate writing workshops are informal and informative sessions, suitable for graduate students from all disciplines. Check OSCARplus for current offerings.
Have questions? Email writing@mcmaster.ca.